This is offered in a somewhat lighthearted spirit, though with the idea of "what if ..."
Unfortunately, I don't have my notes that I jotted down about this with me but I wanted to post this at the appropriate time in the series -- Victoria's return to the past.
My theory is this: The entire series up to this point has actually been the dream of Victoria Winters!
At this point in my scenario, Victoria Winters awakens -- and she's on the train to Collinsport, where she is to be governess at Collinwood.
She is a young girl full of dreams and imagination and a taste for Gothic novels ...
As an alternative to this theory, Victoria Winters has already arrived at Collinwood, and is the governess to David. Barnabas Collins, a cousin from England has arrived. And he really IS a cousin from England, except in Victoria's overwrought romantic imagination ... She's never imprisoned by the handyman ... there is no ghost of Josette except in her imagination. I think it could be fascinating to work out all of the details ...
And at the current juncture in the series, Victoria Winters has left to return to New York, never finding out any information about her past. At this point, from now until the end of the series, all that happens is in the dreams and reveries of the lonely Collins matriarch, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard ...
